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Talk:Reform-planks-GOP2008
The 2008 Platform Committee received public input through a website. Ultimately more than 13,000 comments were received and considered. The following is a sampling of those comments: (Charlie - Washington, DC) kjZDCXfPFPw Comments (Michael - Merritt Island, FL) Brazil is possibly an exception to the following, depending on whether they succeed in keeping their socialists interested in profits rather than stark equality, but Latin America is a hotbed of corruption and political instability. It is not likely ever to improve. Some countries would consume our goods if we produced anything to sell them, but they would rather make things themselves no matter how inefficiently. Let them wallow in socialism and corruption. With the possible exception of Colombia there is no country south of Mexico worth expending any funds to save. Mexico is not salvageable, but it could save itself if not for the drug trade. I hate to say it, because endorsing drug abuse is abhorrent to me, but the only way to fix that country is to legalize heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and anything else that can be grown there. That will cause the price to drop dramatically once we drop the other shoe. We need to essentially privatize drug enforcement. The real dangers of legalizing drugs are two. One is that vehicle operators and all sorts of equipment operators cannot be allowed to do so under the influence of drugs. The other is that some people will be forever lost to the world of drug abuse. The first problem can be solved by allowing employers in certain industries and the government to test without notice or recourse for the presence of drugs in the workplace and to sanction employees by dismissal. Chronic drug abusers would soon find their employment options limited to tasks in which they couldn't hurt anyone. States should be allowed to confiscate the vehicles of drug abusers who drive under the influence. Just taking away their driver's licenses does not work. There are people in Florida caught every day driving vehicles, some under the influence of alcohol, who haven't had a legal license for months or years. (Anthony - Trenton, NJ) Republicans must return to conservative principles in government spending and fiscal policy. The current administration has fallen short in this regard and our economy is suffering for it. Irresponsible deficit spending and Federal Reserve practices have robbed our dollar of its value, leading to higher prices across the board, especially in food and energy, whose inflation figures get conveniently excluded from much of the 'official' figures as if no one eats or uses energy. Cutting taxes was a good idea but there were no corresponding cuts in expenditures - that is vital and it is in line with the good conservative principal of a limited federal government role in our lives. (Derek - Alexandria, VA) The debate over reducing spending is a red herring. There are offices in gov't that are overworked and some that have too little. The GOP should focus first on consolidating redundant government functions and cutting the jobs that are made irrelevant by the consolidation. This will ensure that the money spent actually gets to the right people and will give Congress a pool of money to cut out of the budget, refund to taxpayers, or use to pay down debt. (Robert - Hollywood, FL) NO MORE EARMARKS. Your platform issues do not include Congress reform. I am a Republican and have been all my life. When we took control of both houses and went on a spending spree it made me sick. We deserved to be voted out because we were hypocritical of all we were preaching about all the wasteful spending of the Democrats. We should set an example of responsibility by having all Republican in congress swear off earmarks. Let the country know we are the physically responsible party and take serious their tax dollars. (James - Clayton, NC) National Infrastructure can only be built on a national level. Building a water piping system across the country to relieve the misery due to flooding and drought can only be done at the national level, the same as interstate highways. It must be done with competitive bidding. Not controlled by the unions like the big ditch in Boston. Yes, it will create jobs in all states. It can be paid for by reducing Federal Flood Insurance payouts. and yes, it will increase food production. (Falko - Worthington, OH) Way back when, President Eisenhower had an idea he stole from Germany, build an interstate highway system. And, he did it, it works and today we can not think of living without it. Here is what the Republicans need to do. Build a canal and pipe system to cross America and take water from where it is flooding and route it to areas where there is a drought. Make it a 50 year project and start with areas that have excess water and move it to areas that have little or no water. Use T Boon Pickens wind mill plan to power the pumps. If the State of Utah could pump the Great Salt Lake down, surely we can move water from where we have too much to areas where it is needed. This is a win win opportunity for the Republican to come up with an idea the help people, create jobs and improve the everyday lives of Americans. Falko Freimann (Thomas - Fitzwilliam, NH) Judges must not be held to philosophical litmus tests. This Court has, appropriately, been a sane counterbalance to a President and a Congress that has trampled the Constitution in the name of fighting terror. As a life-long strict constructionist, I am glad for what conservatives call “judicial activism:” if not for the Court, no one would be defending civil rights. We are tired of the scare tactics used in national campaigns about 'activist' judges. It's time to drop it. (David - St. Louis, MO) The Republicans should make it clear that they will oppose the nomination of any judge who subscribes to a “living document” interpretation of the Constitution. They should do a better job of explaining to the American people just how dangerous this is, how it basically allows the government to take any action it desires so long as a judge approves it. This is very dangerous for freedom. Even if you agree with what a judge has decided to approve today, he may use his power to restrict your freedom tomorrow. (Adam - Chandler, AZ) Transportation by train will be crucial in a future with expensive energy. Our current freight rail system is essentially running at full capacity -- there is no room in the system for additional rail traffic. We need to overhaul our rail system to allow for additional freight to be moved by rail. We also need a fast and efficient passenger rail system connecting major cities. Such measures will be essential to maintaining commerce and transportation in a future in which oil will be much more expensive than it is now.